23 de jun. de 2014

Determined to escape her failed pop career and focus on her classical
training, Maude Laurent moves back to France and enrolls at the prestigious
National Academy of Arts.

Between balls, charity events, concerts, and navigating in the French
elite, Maude has to prove she’s cut out to become a professional opera singer
in a world where pop music is regarded with disdain.

Though she fights it, her past catches up with her when she meets an
English teacher who forces her to see a world beyond the safety of the Academy
and takes her down an unusual musical journey where the risk is great and the
reward uncertain. And when a chain of events bring her and Matt back in the
same town, Maude will learn that music can bring people closer or tear them
apart forever.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Born in France, raised partly in the United States and in France, Anna
Adams grew up loving stories in French and English.

Anna currently lives in Paris where she studies at la Sorbonne as a Law
Student.

She's the author of the French Girl series for which she is writing the
the third installment.

When she isn't writing, Anna likes to travel in Europe and dreams of
going to Asia and Africa.

difficulty. They held cardboard signs instead of pitchforks, yet their intentions weren’t so

different from that of angry villagers in medieval times. The focus of public outrage may

differ through time, but its force rarely alters.

“Liar!”

“Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? Faking a relationship just to sell more albums?”

She might’ve argued she wasn’t the first to do so and probably wouldn’t be the last. Did it

matter? She’d been caught, no one else had, and that remained the only difference.

The origin of the leak remained a mystery although she had a pretty strong hunch it was

Lindsey Linton, the blonde beauty who saw in Maude an unprecedented rival.

“Duck!” yelled James. Too late, much too late.

Splat!

A ripe tomato landed in her dark mane and oozed down her neck, leaving a reddish trail of

slime. Maude continued to advance to the car, swallowing repeatedly to push down her

disgust. Her heart stopped when she noticed a girl, not much older than twelve, clutching her

music album. Tears were streaming down her face as she squeezed the album against her

chest, biting her lip with an unsettling fierceness.

Incomprehension, disappointment, accusation. Her eyes were the accumulation of all the

feelings Maude’s scandal had unleashed. The little girl’s expressive distress tormented Maude more than any of the cardboards or edibles thrown at her. She faltered at the car’s door, one foot inside, one foot out, prompting a bodyguard to push her head inside, entangling her hair with the tomato further. His grip hurt, and she caught one last glimpse of the girl before he slammed the door in her face. A rotten banana hit the window.

It was high time to go, and Maude was keener than ever to escape public fury.

While the pop world no longer wanted her, the classical world greeted her with open arms.

After her performance in Aida a couple of days ago, in which she’d played the devious

Egyptian princess intent on thwarting the purest love of all time, her talent had been

recognized by the National Academy of Arts, the most prestigious French music school based

in the Parisian area.

They wanted her.

No paparazzi, no scandal, just music. Going back to her classical roots. So what if her dream

of bringing classical to the pop world was to be ignored henceforth?

The pop world didn’t want her. And as much as it hurt, as much as the crashing sales hurt and

the dreadful names she was being called pained her (“a conniving little Frenchie”), she

needed to step away from it all. To go back to a peaceful existence in France where no one

had really heard of Maude Laurent anyway. Forget launching her international career.

She would live in blissful anonymity.

That was Maude’s plan. And she honestly hoped everything would go smoothly.

7 de dic. de 2013

I've been so busy this past days, life has been really crazy and I haven't had much time to blog something! But I found this challenge and I'm dying to do it! I'm way behind on my 2013 Reading's Challenge on Goodreads and I really don't want to fail. That's why, even though I have to work until December 21st but I'll try really hard to finish it :) And what better way than joining a Read-A-Thon??

2 de nov. de 2013

All
Moya Douglas wants to do is study hard, maintain her scholarship, and
make her mother proud while attending college. She doesn't
have time for a boyfriend or going on dates arranged by her best
friend. Moya doesn't believe in love. And she has no intention of ever
finding it.

Branden McCarthy is determined to change her views.A
selfless romantic who's had his heart broken in the past, Branden is
fascinated with Moya's personality and hopes to develop something real
with her—a connection so strong it'll open her heart. But just when
things start to work between
the two, Branden’s secret threatens to get in the way.

Will Moya finally do the impossible and give love a chance with Branden, or will fear keep them apart?

Shane Morgan is a lover of
"interesting" books. Her imagination is always running wild so it's best to collect and organize them into separate stories.

Shane's
love for writing started the moment she picked up a Nancy Drew book. At
a young age, she began writing short stories, delving into a variety of
genres: from comedy and drama, to horror and contemporary romance.
Shane's quite intrigued by the otherworldly or things otherwise deemed
"impossible." Well, in her opinion, people never really grow up, do
they?

Here's a teaser for you. An excerpt from the book. Really captivating..

The first kiss – Branden’s
POV

Moya’s eyes widened when I
spun her around to face me. It was obvious what I was about to do and I knew
very well she wouldn’t let it happen without a fight. Her attempts at being
freed were futile as my hold increased the more she squirmed in my arms.

“Let go!” she demanded.

I blew hard, eager to drown myself in the sweetness of her
lips. Dismissing her protest—and the little voice at the back of my head
telling me not to—I shoved my mouth to hers and kissed her hungrily.

Moya lifted her hands to my chest and pushed tentatively, and
just as fast they began to lower. I knew she couldn’t resist the deep passion
evoking between us. Finally, she yielded, and I wrapped my arms even tighter
around her as Moya parted her lips and allowed me to enter.

We groaned as our tongues collided, touching each other wildly
as if the kiss was not only our first but our last. Moya placed her hands on my
lower back, touching me sensually with her fingertips as she worked her way up
my spine. She caressed the back of my neck, and then combed her fingers
seductively through my hair.

By the time the kiss ended, we were both panting, trying to
breathe steadily.

Moya wobbled as she backed away. “I have to get to class,” she
whispered shakily as if under a trance.

I released her with regret and watched as Moya turned and
started up the path, staggering along the way.

Afterwards, I dragged my thumb lightly along my lips, eyes
fastened on Moya as she walked away. I could
still feel the heat of her skin on mine, giving light to a fire of pleasure
that threatened to make my hands shake in memory of her taste.

Motivated by
the promise of her presence, I walked up the path as well, following behind the girl I was indisputably falling hard for and fast.

22 de oct. de 2013

Robin
wanted to win The Holdout, a cutthroat reality TV show, so she gave it
her all, challenge after challenge. Then she fell for Grant, with his
irresistible eyes and heartbreaking life story.

But
Grant was only using Robin as they competed for a million dollars. Once
home, Robin wants to hide from the humiliation as episodes of The
Holdout are aired, and she worries her family was right all along; she’s
not a survivor.

Yet she could surprise everyone, and have the last laugh.

Besides,
Robin now has jury duty. And as she forges ahead, confronting her
demons about bravery, justice, and romance, Robin will come to decide
which is more important: the courage to stand alone, or the strength to
love again.

About the Author

Laurel
Osterkamp’s award winning novels have been hailed as funny,
intelligent, snarky and poignant. She is the author of four novels and
two novellas, including the November Surprise series, which, like The
Holdout, features the Bricker family. Laurel was recently on a federal
jury, and she loves watching Survivor.

16 de abr. de 2013

Twelve-year-old Helga has more danger in
her life than most beasts her age—Wrackshee slavers after her, a vicious attack
by bandits that nearly kills her, a race against dragons pursuing her, and
leading a daring rebellion to save her life and rescue friends and family from
the insidious WooZan. And that is just the beginning. But what do you expect
when you are a young beast who just can’t see the stupid rules of the world
making any sense? Helga can’t accept things as they are and ends up taking on
not just one, but two all-powerful, supreme tyrants in two different realms.

Helga never intended to lead a revolution.
It just sort of happened because she wouldn’t go along with the “rules of
normal” that keep tyrants in power and entire societies enslaved. Beginning on
a dangerous quest to solve some mysteries in her own past, Helga leads her
quirky comrades on a journey that will not only forever change them, but upset
ancient civilizations.

As an author, I’m drawn to eccentric,
unexpected characters: those who surprise because they hear a distant galaxy,
see a different music, create their own fragrance rather than get hooked on a
soundtrack; the child who has her own ideas about how the emperor is dressed;
the lunatics and rebels who tell stories on the boundaries. Helga’s unusual
story will take readers to worlds they never imagined—definitely a whole new
ride.

Time and again, the unconventional heroine
and her eccentric comrades overcome ominous tyrants and black-hearted slavers,
not by battling to the last beast standing, but by being the first beast to
think differently.

Helga: Out of Hedgelands is divided into
three books which introduce the epic saga of the Wood Cow clan and their role
in overturning centuries of slavery and tyranny. This story will continue in
additional volumes of the Wood Cow Chronicles now in development. Over the
series of current and future volumes, the entire history of the Wood Cow clan,
the fall of Maev Astuté, and the coming of Lord Farseeker to the Outer Rings,
will be told.

I am a native of the Great Plains, having
grown up on a farm in the Platte River Valley of western Nebraska. I love the
wild beauty of the Plains and nearby Rocky Mountains--the too hot, too cold,
too empty, too full of life extremes. Typically, the awesomely diverse and the
awesomely stark are much the same, even as they are different. Although I have
lived in Michigan, North Carolina, and British Columbia, the western plains,
mountains, and desert are in my heart.

As my day job, for over thirty years I have
been a faculty member and administrator in higher education. Teaching broadly
in the liberal arts, including creative writing, my professional publications
include educational materials, poems, and 28 stories for young readers. During
my spare hours, I have also collected and carefully studied the records of
former times upon which the Wood Cow Chronicles are based. It is my privilege
to bring this astonishing saga to light.

​

The Wood Cow Chronicles have been
researched and written with the irreplaceable assistance of Barbara, my beloved
wife of more than thirty-five years, and our children. Indeed, the essential
research into the history of the Wood Cows has been conducted during the odd
hours of family reading and storytelling "around the campfire" as we
say--even when there is no campfire! This research continues and grows richer
as our family expands across generations and continents.

Open only to those who can legally enter,
receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be
verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or
older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by
rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to
respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated
with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise
specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of
winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com
and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

A broken and desolate Earth. A young girl
struggling to survive. A lost boy with a powerful secret.

A discovery that will change
everything.

In the distant wake of a plague that has decimated
the Earth's population, humanity is split in two: The rich and powerful live in
skycities that float overhead, while those who remain on the ground have
gathered in settlements strewn across a dying planet. Eighteen-year-old Terra
Rhodon is a terrestrial--a denizen of the barren groundworld--who makes her
living as a scav. Long abandoned by her father, her caregivers gone, Terra
supports herself and her younger brother, Mica, by scouring the earth for
discarded scraps and metals to recycle for profit. One day, while on a routine
scavenging run, she discovers something that shocks her home settlement of
Genesis X-16. When the value of her discovery is revealed, Terra's world is
turned upside down.

Terra suddenly finds herself asking questions no
one will answer. Her search for the truth leads her to Adam--a beguiling
skydweller unlike any she has ever met. But Adam has secrets and a quest of his
own, and with him by her side, the world Terra thought she knew begins to
unravel. Soon her discoveries unearth a terrifying conspiracy that has the
potential to shatter everything--a revelation that will test the bonds of
loyalty, family, and love.

I force myself to take a breath. Food, supplies, new clothes, and a transport vehicle? I’m getting ahead of myself. 3,000 credits may seem like an insane amount now, but spread between both Mica and me, it won’t last forever. Steel only lasts as long as you can go without spending it. What happens when we start to run out? And am I supposed to just sit around and do nothing until then?

My relationship with the other scavs has always been tenuous at best. I can only imagine the endless stream of remarks I’ll have to endure if I try to return to the fields:

“Spent your fortune already, have you?”

“What, you need more steel to spruce up your wardrobe?”

“Here she is, fellas, ready to show us up again. You just can’t leave any for the rest of us, can you?”

No, the other scavs definitely won’t tolerate me after this, not when their own credit accounts have always been so much emptier. And a job in town is pretty much out of the question for me; I have neither the skill set nor the desire to work down at the docks or in the recycling center. And I suspect that my sunny disposition is not quite what they’re looking for to mind a shop.

In Terra's world,
resources are scarce and many people make their living as "scavs," hunting
for scraps to turn in on Collection Day in exchange for credits. For this tour,
YOU are a scav, and there are scraps all over the blogosphere for you to find!
On each participating blog, there will be one of 9 possible questions. Answer
the question to receive a keyword that will get you an extra entry in the
awesome giveaway!

Terra Collection #7:

You were born and bred in Genesis X-16. What’s your job?

Giveaway April 1 - 26

One
lucky scav will win
a Terra prize pack! Get a signed copy
of Terra, along with three exclusive (and gorgeous!) bookmarks, as well
as a delicate silver watch--just like Terra's!--all packed up inside a scav bag
of your very own! US only.

An additional five (FIVE!)
winners will get a digital copy of Terra in the format of their
choice. International.

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will
be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18
or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen
by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as
emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be
chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter,
Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of
eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was
organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by
Gretchen Powell. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

Check out the Reviews of
Terra!! And become a "scav" and track down all the
answers to the Collections questions hidden in the excerpts. :-) Plus,
celebrate Gretchen's birthday by bringing something fun to the party!!